Tuesday, June 05, 2007

Guest post...

The full post is on DangerElf's site, where I was a guest author this evening.

Tonight while we were eating dinner, Hubband suddenly leapt up from the chair and dashed to the front window, peering intently out into the front yard. The sun had just set and it was slightly dusky. His posture radiated intense interest in whatever was going on.

"What is it!?""I'm not sure"

I laughed. He'd told me the other day that he'd never seen a firefly in his life before. In all of his 33 years, he'd not once lived in a place that had the little critters during the summer. I thought I might have an inkling...

"Was it a firefly?""Im not sure! It just.. blinked"

I grabbed his hand and pulled him out back. Since we live in town, there aren't all that many fireflies, but I'd seen a few over the last couple of days so I knew if we were just patient. We stood silently, holding hands for a few minutes. He finally gave up.

"I dont think there...""There! in the middle of the yard!"

He looked where I pointed and was just in time to see 2 more blink in and out.

"That's SO COOL!"

We watched them for a few more minutes before escaping the ubiquitous mosquitos, but I'll never forget the look on his face. That sense of wonder that most of us feel the first time we see a firefly. That summer way back when you were 9 or 10 and the world was opening all sorts of new and exciting doors. Its so amazing to see that same look and experience that wonder again through not just your children or your nieces and nephews, but through the eyes of an adult who has seen more than his share of sorrow and stress and of the world and of war. Seeing it through his eyes, for just a few minutes this evening I was back in a Kentucky holler, running through the dusky woods with a jar in my hand and my best friend at my side.